UV lasers and UV Raman systems for effective and efficient molecular species identification with Raman spectroscopy
AssigneeAlakai Defense Systems, Inc.
InventorsRobert Douglas Waterbury, Darius Vunck, Robert Dean Babnick, Timothy Molner, Hunter Hardy, Ed Dottery, Robert McKinney, David Welford
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a novel stand-off distance chemical detector system such as can be used, for example, for standoff detection of explosives. Instead of a conventional lasing medium, a Pr:YAG or Pr:BYF based UV laser is used which can be advantageously implemented in Raman spectroscopy.
Claims30
A compact solid state laser for generating a UV laser for effective and efficient molecular species identification with Raman spectroscopy comprising:
- a. a resonator cavity having a main intra-cavity optical path;
- b. a pumped Pr:BYF lasing medium along the main intra-cavity optical path configured to directly generate a laser with an emission line resonating in shorter wavelengths of the-visible light spectrum;
- c. a single frequency doubling crystal along the main intra-cavity optical path configured to convert the visible light oscillation to UV oscillation at <250 nm, including deep ultraviolet (DUV) for fluorescence free Raman spectroscopy;
- d. an optical component along the main intra-cavity optical path configured to direct the UV oscillation of the single frequency doubling crystal out of the resonator cavity for extra-cavity UV laser output for use in a Raman spectrometry detection scheme.
A method of creating a UV laser for use in Raman-based spectroscopy detection for effective and efficient molecular species identification with Raman spectroscopy comprising:
- a. generating a UV laser by:
- i. generating directly an optimized oscillation in shorter wavelengths of the visible spectrum using pumped Pr:BYF in the visible light spectrum at 400-600 nm as the lasing medium;
- and
- ii. frequency doubling the optimized oscillation with a single frequency doubling crystal into the UV spectrum at <250 nm;
- and
- b. using the UV oscillation for fluorescence free Raman-based spectroscopy detection.
A portable UV Raman system for effective and efficient molecular species identification with Raman spectroscopy from a target at stand-off distances comprising:
- a. a hand-held portable housing;
- b. a battery;
- c. a laser source in the housing for stand-off distance interrogation of a target;
- d. a collection optics in the housing for collecting Raman scattering from the interrogated target;
- e. a spectrometer in the housing capable of Raman scattering detection;
- f. a processor and circuit for controlling operation of the system and processing the collected Raman scattering;
- g. the laser source comprising
- i. a pumped Pr:BYF lasing medium in a resonator cavity configured to directly generate a laser within shorter wavelengths of the visible light spectrum;
- ii. a single frequency doubling crystal configured to convert the generated visible light oscillation to UV oscillation at <250 nm;
- and
- iii. an optical component configured to direct the UV oscillation out of the cavity for extra-cavity UV laser output for interrogation of the target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.